Corrupted
by whatanuglylittleworm
Summary: This story takes place after I Am Tired and Stink of War so if you haven't finished that-major spoilers here! This is nothing but a sappy sicky kinky romance between my F!Courier and Silus the Centurion. They have a ...complicated past, but this story takes place in Utah and is a glimpse into their twisted and strange future. Also includes Joshua Graham and his new wife.
1. Run-In

She had crossed into Utah several days ago, but the new landscape didn't make her move faster. Andy the ex-Courier and now mother of a one-year-old and President of the New Vegas Republic, was taking a vacation. And for her, vacation translated into trekking alone into Utah in search of a legend, one she'd met before, one she'd watched plant an axe into the skull of Caesar. She knew who he was. A part of her knew it when he spoke and his blue eyes made her feel more fear than she'd known in her amnesia-shortened adult life.

He gave her an axe and departed to his home-what used to be her home, as well. And though many people would have been content to leave the past behind and sit on the throne of Vegas, Andy was not. She had questions, she wanted to speak to the Burned Man again about everything. Her world was put together perfectly, for all its flaws and rads and chems and heartaches. But now she had a son, one who would grow up in a cocoon of Vegas, and family was something that haunted her. How could she simply go on knowing that she had another family member only a state away?

Utah was much more of a wilderness than Nevada. The caverns and canyons allowed for a vast amount of wildlife that the flat and hilly Nevada couldn't hide or protect. She slept with one eye open, but it barely did her any good-Andy was attacked by a Nightstalker while sleeping, and had to spend the next morning puking in a creek to get the poison out of her system. Spying an abandoned gas station a few miles down the road, Andy cautiously approached, hoping to raid for some snacks. Or water. Something was better than nothing.

It had been threatening to rain again; most of the trip was light showers, but she saw boot prints around the perimeter of the building. They went inside. Andy holstered the .45 she carried and shrugged the axe over her shoulder, gripping the handle in both hands. She moved closer and nudged the centuries-old metal door with her foot. The door creaked open, and she peered into the dark room, eyes not adjusting quickly enough. Suddenly, a machete whizzed past her head and she barely threw the axe up in time to miss it; the blade dinged off the wooden axe handle and Andy now backed up as someone torpedoed out of the blackness. She didn't move far enough out of the way, and the attacker succeeded in tackling her and having both of them roll ten feet away from the door, getting covered in mud.

Right then, the sky sounded with thunder and the rain broke. In the downpour, Andy struggled to see her attacker, but then it was obvious; a large and wide figure pushed itself up on top of her, pinning her by the arms with his knees, and his fist was drawn back. In the tumble they'd both gotten their faces marred with dirt, but even then he was recognizable.

"Silus?"

He fumbled, lowering the fist and sitting back on his haunches. He was actually speechless for once. But for all the sentiment, Silus was still crushing her chest and arms. She wriggled uncomfortably, and this seemed to snap Silus out of his dumbfoundedness. He leaned forward again and put a black-gloved hand to her throat. Both squinted in the heavy rain, and he growled, "What are you doing here?"

"I think….you know," she gasped, and he let her windpipe go. Rather mysteriously, Silus said begrudgingly, "He said you might eventually come."

Now he stood, shaking water and mud from his shaggy black hair, and Andy very painfully got to her feet again. She rubbed her hip and eyed the ex-Centurion. His once-red and silver armor was replaced with some strange, black armor, a type Andy had never seen in Vegas. It looked new and fit him well. He also wore black boots and gloves, and a black trench that resembled the dusters worn by NCR Rangers. No helmet was on his head, and his black, thick hair was plastered to the sides of his face.  
He wrinkled his nose at her calculating stare. "What."

"You're working for the Burned Man," she said incredulously. "Wow. You left the Legion and went to the ex-Legate."

Silus took a rather defensive stance and put up a finger. There were daggers in his eyes. "Don't you dare. I work for Joshua Graham. I went to him after your attack on the Fort. He gave me sanctuary here in exchange for training the tribals how to fight. These are Graham's lands, this is his territory, and if you want to get killed quickly, call him ex-Legate again."

Now she was pissed. Was Silus-SILUS-of all people being self-righteous and sticking up for Joshua Graham? The Malpais Legate, the man responsible for more damage than Caesar himself ever imagined? The man who had killed her mother, tried to kill her? Several times? And Silus, who cared about no one but himself, and was sickened with Caesar, was STICKING UP for his right-hand man?

"You do know who he is, and who I am," she countered dully, putting her wrist on her handgun grip.

"I know who he is, I served under him," Silus snapped, not intimidated by her threat of weapons. He rounded on her, narrowing his icy green eyes. "I know him better than you think. As for you." Now he sniffed. "If you didn't want to see him you wouldn't have come. He gave me orders to escort you if and when you ever did show. So stop acting like the brainless worm you are, or I won't help him or you."

"Why is he expecting me?"

Silus shook his head and turned away, waving a gloved hand at her as though she were a smelly insect. He re-entered the gas station, presumably to forage for more food, and left the courier looking a little defeated, standing in the rain next to a canyon pass on I-80.


	2. Confrontation

Andy sulked, but Silus was actually right. She'd expected to be surrounded by tribals who thought the world of reformed Graham and worshipped at his altar. She just hadn't expected the man who shot her in the kneecaps at the Battle of Hoover Dam to be the one waxing poetic. After stewing in the rain, she'd gone inside the gas station and meekly poked around at the food aisles, taking scraps of candy bars and lucking out with a Nuka Cola in the back fridge. Silus, she noticed, was instead foraging for supplies and tore apart a microwave oven to get some of the wiring out.

He didn't speak to her, other than to say in a clipped tone, "We need to head back now. We have to take a longer road back, the main trail isn't safe. Yao Guai just came out of hibernation and they're starved and dangerous."

And so they set off. Andy felt uncomfortable speaking to the Centurion, so they just walked in silence, occasionally shooting the approaching mantis or fly, until they found another shelter. This time it was an unused RV camping spot lobby, a beautiful wooden building with a full industrial kitchen and intact windows overlooking the cliffs and valley. There were some sleeping bags in a back closet, as well as a working radio and electricity. The bathroom was in disrepair but the shower worked, which was even more amazing. The place had white hand markings on the outside door, and was strangely completely devoid of any dwellers other than a few mice. It was nice to get out of the rain, and Andy contemplated trying to strike up a conversation with Silus. She was setting up a sleeping bag and opening the blinds on the windows when he sourly looked over and then without a word stalked back into the rain. She watched him go, wondering what on earth he was doing, and was shocked to see him start building a fire pit.

In the rain.

She turned to look at the empty fireplace in the large lobby, and sighed. Silus hated her, it was obvious. If it hadn't been from the moment he shot her kneecaps during the dam fight, it was at least obvious now. She'd never expected to see him again, and couldn't say just why, but she had been happy it was him who tackled her, and not some stranger or worse, an angry belligerent tribal. And yet he was making a point of showing that he hated her. Why? The more perplexing thing was why was he so loyal to Graham? Was it because of their years in the Legion together? Joshua Graham had killed Caesar with a blow to the head. What part of that did Silus enjoy, if he hated Andy so much because of her aversion to the slaver army?

There was no food in the place at all, and Andy didn't have the heart or energy (still working through the Nightstalker venom) to go hunting, so she just worked on building up a fire in the fireplace and afterward sifted through the books in her satchel, picked one, and curled up in the sleeping bag, listening to the rain on the roof. Silus was nowhere to be seen, until perhaps an hour later when he entered, drenched from the rain, and wordlessly tossed a tin plate with some sort of roasted rodent on it, paired with pinyon nuts and some type of root vegetable. Andy put down the book, but he had already returned to the campfire. She stood slowly and looked at the plate, and then out the window. Silus was hunched over a rock near the fire which roared despite the lingering rain, and balanced his own plate of meat on his lap. He ate with his fingers, staring into the fire.

She smiled to herself and grabbed the plate, deciding to give things another go. Reminded of the time they sat by the fire so long ago-before Vegas, before everything-, she walked out into the misty Utah night and took another nearby rock. Silus scowled, but didn't avert his eyes to acknowledge her presence. He just ate.

Andy spoke with her usual assured voice. "Can you tell me about my...about Graham?"

"He knew you were coming, because anybody would in your shoes," Silus was answering the question she'd asked hours earlier. His voice were flat as if he couldn't care less about the conversation and it was something he was merely parroting from Graham. "He thought you would wait longer, years, wasn't sure you'd find exactly where he was or make it before he died anyway. He works with the Dead Horses and Sorrows and helps them keep their territory from other tribes. I don't think he's very interested in your do-gooder life."

The last words were said with a more Silus-esque nasty twist, and she suspected that was Silus's own opinion and not that of her father. Still, the words stung. They were both silent for awhile, eating, and then she asked, "What did you tell him about me? What does he know?"

"He knows you run Vegas, he knows you're with the NCR sniper. Knows you have a kid. Stuff everybody knows."

"But what did you-"

"SHHH."

Silus stood abruptly, drawing a magnum, and Andy turned, looking into the darkness. She could hear crashing, and a strange growl. "Nightstalker?"

"Yao Guai," Silus answered, and holstered the gun, pulling out a shotgun that had been strapped to his thigh. Andy realized how stupid she was for not bringing anything but her pistol outside, and she reached to grab it just as the creature leaped from its hiding spot nearby. Andy screamed and Silus grabbed her, throwing her behind him. He aimed, but the monster bit the barrel of the gun, yanking it. Silus cursed and kicked it in the throat, but it simply let go of the gun and lunged at Andy again. She threw herself backwards, then felt her foot slip from the cliffside. The drop was hundreds of feet, and just as she fell, Silus leaned forward and actually tackled the Yao Guai, which stood roaring at Andy, off the cliff. The man almost fell with the beast, but uprighted himself just as he hit the cliff's edge. He saw her hanging by her hands with a panicked look on her face, and Silus's eyes momentarily widened before he dropped to one knee and pulled her by the arm. He was strong, she realized-stronger than she'd ever imagined. Silus and she had never engaged in hand to hand combat, but just the ease he yanked her up with astounded her. When she rose, they collided, the stare of horror matching on their face for mere moments.

Then Silus sneered, almost a wince, and turned away. He abandoned his food and headed for the shack, no doubt to grab a sleeping bag and sleep outside or something. This struck a chord with Andy, and she stormed after him, yelling now. Her heart was thudding in her chest from the sight of such a strange, hideous animal, and the near death experience.

"What is your fucking problem with me, Silus!"

He stopped dead in his tracks and spun, a murderous look on his face. She advanced undeterred, nearly stomping as she walked. "I get that I helped destroy the Legion. I get that I murdered people you care about. I SAVED you from McCarran! Graham has done ALL of what I've done and more, WHAT IS YOUR-"

Silus grabbed her by the shoulders, and before she could stop him, the impossibly strong man was shoving her backwards while holding her upright. His teeth were bared and she saw the same look of hatred she'd seen on his face before, after he shot her. She was absolutely terrified, as terrified as she'd been then. After he shot her he'd tied her to a stake to burn her and she narrowly escaped. Now there was no red button to push and no Boone in a plane to sweep her away. Silus shoved her and she tried to kick away with her legs to no avail. He was like a human machine, a steamroller who wouldn't stop moving if you shot him in the face.

She felt her legs touch the edge of the cliff again and panic set in. Before she could struggle to reach her gun, Silus had withdrawn it with one hand and tossed it over the cliff. With the other, he grabbed her by the neck and slowly pulled her up in the air. She clawed and hung on for dear life to his bulging sinewy arm, and now he spoke, narrowing his eyes against the raindrops.

"You think because you broke me out of some fucking jail cell that you have power over me? You think that your asinine, misplaced good deeds give you any merit whatsoever? I'll tell you why I don't fucking like you, you miserable piece of excrement. You go around playing goodwill and hero and at the end of the day you're just as fucking corrupt as any rapist, any murderer of the Legion. You say you're better, you claim to fight for human rights, when I can plainly see your own personal benefit in every single fucking thing you do. You let me go from McCarran in the hopes that I would divulge Legion information to you out of some kind of sick goddamn gratitude. You want the weak and the brainwashed to feel like you're in power and control, to back you up on your disgusting, sickening personal crusade to be the warrior of the Wasteland."

She was gasping and turning blue, her legs kicking over nothing, but Silus went on without stopping. "You think you and your father have a single fucking thing in common? You think you have anything in common with me? You're pathetic. Everything I do is for self preservation. Letting you help me out. That was for me. Going back to Caesar. That was for me. Working for Graham. That was for me. The difference is I don't go around at night, fucking murderers and gangsters and feigning shame over my actions, doing conceited hero-complex shit for myself, and playing like I'm a fucking civilized person. I don't do that. Neither does Graham. He is well fucking aware of the animal he is and he isn't ashamed to admit it. This isn't pre-War. Nobody in this life gets to dress up and go gambling with a clean conscience. This is a wasteland, and nobody owes any of us anything. You think you're special because your father was a killer? You think that entitles you to something. It doesn't. You deserve nothing, from the moment your cold bloody naked body explodes out of the womb. No one matters, no one is special. Keep your fucked up morals, your fucked up sense of righteousness, your do-good attitude and all the hypocrisy it entails in that reeking city of mongrels. Don't bring it out here."

Now he tossed her back onto the cliff, where she hit the rock he'd been sitting on. She bounced on her back and gasped, spitting up blood and taking deep gulping breaths of air. Andy's eyes were fixated on the cloudy night sky, so it was impossible to say what she felt about Silus at the moment. She was probably just happy to be alive. He gave her one more look of disgust before stepping over her and heading back inside.


	3. Closer to Zion

That first night was terrible. Andy slept in her sleeping bag,across the room from Silus, who slept like a brick. She wept for hours, not because she was almost killed first by a mutated bear and then by an angry Legion veteran, but because everything Silus said was true. It wasn t a truth she admitted to anyone but herself when she was alone, and perhaps that s why she craved being alone in the desert-it was her only honest time. But now here she was, reduced to nothing because of the straightforward words from a man who had only met her a handful of times.

That must have been what the strange pull toward Silus was. For whatever reason, he could see past the bullshit and reputation and tell exactly what her faults were. It seemed in his nature to do it to everyone, not just her. Maybe a part of her wanted to hear the truth from him, maybe a part of her wanted to be honest. His words hurt more than any gunshot to the knee. She didn t know what to do about them. Not just yet.

And while she thought he slept facing the opposite wall, Silus lay with his green eyes open and a typical, Silus-esque disgruntled look on his face.

Joshua Graham was happier than he had been in some time. The White Legs were pushed farther away by the Dead Horses, other warring tribes had grown fearful of the Burned Man and his newly trained tribals. Caesar had been dead for over a year but the crumbling Legion brought fresh joy every day. He, Graham, had found a partner, a wife-and a seasoned veteran who shared his brutal ideals and past to train the Dead Horses, and Zion had never looked more beautiful. Surely even the most luxurious pre-War sunrise could not have outmatched this one that he looked at now, sitting close to Vaeh, the wanderer whom he d wed months before. The orange hues were subdued by a deep, thick fog that hung over the sharp mountaintops and gave them a softer look.

Follows-Chalk wandered up from a nearby trail, and bowed thoughtfully to Graham.

Yes? even when he wasn t meaning to sound severe, he did, mostly because of the growl in his voice.

The Dark-Cloud warrior has not returned, Follows-Chalk said in his clipped English, raising both eyebrows and looking even more startled and confused than usual. The Dark-Cloud Warrior was Silus, a reference to his original tribe name as well as his general dark and shitty demeanor when training the tribals. When there were lulls in activity Silus went out on scouting missions, as he was bigger and meaner than most natives of the area. His mapping skills and survival skills were unmatched, and he was a valuable researcher. Graham knew that the fighters slept easier when Silus was away, but they all treasured his knowledge and skills just the same.

Silus had been on one of these scouting missions for a week and was due back soon. Today, it seemed. And Silus was never late. This appeared to alarm Follows-Chalk more than it alarmed Graham. I am sure he can find his way back.

Shall I not send out a group of men then?

Graham paused, looked at the softened mountaintops again, and slowly shook his bandaged head while stroking his chin thoughtfully. No. There was a rather pronounced pause, and as Vaeh and Follows-Chalk looked at Graham curiously, he explained in a cryptic tone, Silus is a capable man. I am certain wherever he is right now, whatever he is doing .it is exactly where he needs to be. 


	4. Ranger Station

Silus and Andy continued in silence for two more days; they were nearing the Dead Horses camp, but Silus still insisted on taking the long way. He knew the canyons well, and used the opportunity to visit a few of his secret locations, gathering supplies and making a record of what supplies were left in case Graham or the others needed anything else. Andy went about her days with reproachful silence, wondering if Silus was this detached and introverted as a Centurion; he took notes and pored over maps for hours by lantern light, he slept thoroughly and not fitfully or loudly like she did, he ate only fresh meat and scavenged food and left the cans of 200 year old packaged food for someone else.

It was hard not to get caught up in the beauty of Zion, despite her growing regret for venturing to Utah. She still felt awful about the metaphorical beating she d taken, but the reds and golds of the canyon and the simple feel of waking up in beauty took much of her focus. She could understand why campgrounds and RV parks were common in Zion. From what Andy knew of pre-War life, people needed to escape to places just like this to stay insane. And yet, she felt apprehensive. They didn t travel at night. She was fearful of this new place with its overabundance of stars at night, and strange noises around their foraged cabins were common. She stuck close to Silus on the trails, and was relieved when footsteps turned out to be from mantises or other mutated creatures. The drawings that appeared on the canyons, depicting crude forms of the Burned Man with glowing red eyes, did nothing to make her feel better.

How much longer? she asked while eating dinner in an old ranger tower. It was one of the nicer places they d stayed, with two twin beds and a shared bathroom. She held her plate in her lap and sat on the sofa while Silus took the mini-table by the window. His map was placed under his plate and he scanned it while eating.

He didn t look up. Two more days.

Will I be okay? Will The Burned Man want me there?

How should I know. Silus of course sounded annoyed. We don t talk about it.

But he won t kill me or attack me, right? She was growing more doubtful, despite remembering a look of regret in those blue eyes at the Fort.

Why should I care? Silus wiped his hands on his pants and then dusted them together. Shouldn t you have thought of that before you came?

You re right, about everything. She blurted it out rather loudly and quickly, and for the first time he raised his arched eyebrows and slid his eyes toward her skeptically. She continued just as rapidly, About everything. Silus...I

Now they stared at each other for awhile. She expected him to snap that he didn t want to hear it, that it wasn t his problem and he wasn t her therapist, and certainly he contemplated saying those things, but instead both were silent and they just stared. It was the closest they d come to being on the same wavelength since meeting, and it was an intense silence. She broke it, but they still stared. I just wanted to say thank you for .being honest, I guess. I have a lot to face about myself. And about the world. That s all.

Silus seemed to want to speak, but he couldn t come with anything, so he looked back at the map.

They went to bed later, each taking one of the twin mattresses, but before Silus could drift into his deep sleep Andy asked to the darkness, Do you believe me?

Silus s voice was hollow, not a bad sign. Hollow was at least the opposite of full of contempt. Believe what?

That I think you re right about everything.

Silence. Then, Yes.

Does that mean you don t hate me?

What do you care if I hate you?

I just don t want you to hate me. I guess it s part of my weakness and wanting things to be on the right terms. You re wasting energy, but I don t hate you.

This surprised her, the shock was audible. You don t?

I might if you keep pressing the subject.

You really don t think my dad will...hurt me, right?

I think if he wanted to, he had one hell of a chance at the Fort. And he went for Caesar instead, right when Caesar was going to kill you.

More silence.

Caesar wouldn t have killed me.

I was watching the whole thing, he would ve.

Someone would ve stopped him.

No.

Yes.

You re only alive thanks to Joshua Graham. Accept that or don t. You re the one who came to Utah.

Silus stretched and then stood, ignoring the lamp on his nightstand to feel his way out of the room in darkness.

Where are you going?

I can t sleep with you blabbing so I might as well get some use out of the hot water. He grabbed his shaving kit and walked out, leaving the door open so that soft moonlight spilled into the room.

She lay in the darkness for awhile, listening to the radio in the bathroom and Silus turning the sink off and on while he shaved, and then she heard the shower turn on.


	5. This Is What I Want

The Courier awoke at a slight beeping noise near her head that was getting louder. Her Pip-Boy, she realized, and fumbled in the dark to lean off the bed and pick up the discarded device. It wasn't an alarm, but a notification for a message. She pressed a button, squinting at the green screen, and switched off the sound before rolling back onto her bed and looking at the dark ceiling.

It was still raining, but was probably early morning; she hadn't checked the time on her Pip-Boy. She was chilly and pulled the blankets back over herself, realizing with some humor that she was naked. Now she turned, covers up to her chin, to look across the small room at Silus. He'd retreated to his own bed after their short foray in the shower. The window gave off the dim, meager light of grey stormclouds, and under the light was the ex-Centurion, in the middle of a sleep so deep he hadn't even flinched at the sound of the Pip-Boy. His dark hair spilled on the pillow around him, long and wavy, parts of it covering his face. His eyebrows and lashes were thick and dark, and he wore a stern, unhappy frown even while peacefully resting. He was nude as well, but had his blankets on most of his upper body. One large, chiseled arm was thrown out to the side.

Silus had given her no respite, hadn't forgotten their confrontation (or rather his confrontation, since he undoubtedly won that argument) and had only kissed her for a few minutes before pulling away and staring at her with his usual condescending gaze, looking sinister even inside a shower. The Courier knew he would be harsh with her, but she not only expected it-she wanted it for some reason. Maybe Silus had broken her for good, or maybe she really was crazy thanks to all the trauma and gunshots she'd taken over the years. Either way, embracing that was what Silus wanted her to do, and by standing there in the shower she felt like she was beginning to.

"You're a pathetic worm," he had said, stroking the back of her neck, and though his harsh green eyes darted over her lips and throat and eyes, he didn't seem to be interested in the rest of her body. She was shocked when he smiled, kissed her again, and then ran his other hand down her back and over her thigh. While she shivered he pulled her in and said directly beside her ear, "Is this what you wanted?"

Before she could respond, unsure what she was even responding to, Silus moved his large hand over her thigh and butt and then brought his hand forward. Still staring boldly at the Courier, his long fingers slipped between her legs, not bothering to tease, but landing on her lips and rubbing firmly. She felt her legs weaken, but Silus had wrapped his other arm around her torso and now held her up as she fell slack. Andy grabbed onto his shoulder, his very wide and hard shoulder, and moaned softly.

Silus caressed her a few moments more and then leaned forward, pressing her back against the warm, wet tiled wall. He didn't stop moving his fingers below, but his other hand came up to hold her face, cradling it in the nook between finger and thumb. He stroked her cheek, seeming to revel in how pacified he was already making her. "You didn't answer me," he said in a mock stern voice, then tightened his grip. The Courier was in a daze, never having been touched in this way by this type of person, and her senses were all focused on touch, not speech.

He now raised an eyebrow at what was a stubborn will, defying his commands, and Silus moved closer, nibbling at her neck and ear and then her lips. She held on more tightly to him and he unexpectedly pushed a finger inside her, growling, "I might treat you better if you're a good girl and answer my question."

Andy felt as though she could hold onto Silus and drop the rest of her weight, her legs were already shaking beneath her. She struggled to remain standing and, amid gasps, caught his gaze after he made his teasing statement. There was something in his face she hadn't seen before; smugness and passion aside, it was as though Silus was finally happy, doing something he enjoyed. And he was damn good at it too. One finger turned into two and she moaned louder as he watched, clearly enjoying.

"Y...yes!" she squeaked in a very small and delirious voice.

Her head rolled back and Silus loomed over her, pulling her lithe body toward his, holding up the tall woman as though she weighed nothing.

"Say it," he said stubbornly in his calm voice, and for the first time Andy felt clarity amid the chaos of everything her body was doing to betray her-her mind, even, betraying herself and who she was and what she stood for. Her eyes were wide when she met his stare and her voice was a shaky whisper when she confirmed, "This is what I want."


	6. Arrival in Zion

_ 


End file.
